another life to lead
by WREIN
Summary: rosette died, chrono soon followed...their situation is quite unique so god gives them a second chance to prove themselves. but what happens when chrono thinks of his past life as silly dreams,and they only got 2chances tomeet.my summary sucks,please read
1. prologue

Another life to lead

Disclaimer: I don't claim any of the characters and such.

_A/N: Thanks for clicking on this story. It's my first, read on._

Prologue part 1: Judgment day:

It was the last stop of the train, that much Rosette Christopher knew. That and she was dead. She didn't see Chrono anywhere, but that didn't matter; it meant chrono had lived and she wanted him to be alive but…her heart ache every time she thought she would never see him again, never see the twinkle in his eyes as he smiled at her, never hear him laugh or say her name again, just never seeing him again. But he would be alive right now and he would be living until his time came, then, she didn't doubt, he would definitely go straight to heaven. What she DID doubt however was where SHE was going. After all she HAD given her soul to chrono, she HAD made a deal with a demon. And today? Today was HER judgment day, she knew.

As rosette walked off the train and unto the plank she looked up and saw saint like characters rushing around checking on the souls as they got off the train. Suddenly one was in front of her smiling kindly. "Rosetta Christopher?"

"Yes?" she answered, startled

"I am here to escort you to the waiting room for judgment, most everyone else here is to go straight to the judgment hall. C'mon"

She obliged but with one question on her mind, which she voiced awkwardly. "Um…why do I have to go to a waiting room…and…what exactly do I…do."

"Oh. I'm sorry I should explain," the saint like character said, then without turning around grabbed her arm and pulled her to follow, finishing his sentence with, "well, you are quite a special case and God has already decided on your sentence. However you have to wait to hear it because the others that it includes are not here yet. On such occasions as these is what the waiting room is for." He finished pulling open a door to reveal a cozy room with a table in front of a fire place, around which were three coaches. Around the room there were also randomly placed chairs.

"Make yourself comfortable for the time being. When the other is here I will be back to get you, it won't be long now." He assured her, again smiling kindly at her, then turned and left closing the door behind him.

Who was the other one involved rosette wondered to herself, and what was the sentence god had already decided on for her, without even letting her plead her case.

It was sure to be a horrible punishment though, whatever it was, she thought sitting herself down in one of the comfortable coaches in front of the fire and table. Well she would deal with that it when she came to that bridge. However…I wonder how chrono's doing she thought to herself before sinking into sleep.

………

She awoke to the gentle knocking on the door. Just before it opened to reveal the saintly character who had brought her to this waiting room.

"Hello? Oh good, you _are_ awake. Anyway, it's time; the other one is here." He ended softly, which scared rosette a little.

"Um…who exactly IS this other person that is involved?" she questioned nervously playing with her thumbs, "and…why won't god…listen…to my plea…before he sentences me?" she finished on a note of frustration and helplessness.

The kindly figure smiled reassuringly and told her, "Those things I can not reveal to you yet." Not answering any of her questions or making her any less anxious.

She followed unwillingly as he led her down the empty hall to a pair of tall white double doors. He knocked on them once and the doors opened revealing a meticulously clean white hall at the end of which was a table where sat several holy looking beings.

Three chairs were empty. One at the head of the table and two across from it. The saintly character who had brought her here took the seat at the head of the table and gestured for her to take one of the seats across from him.

Rosette stared open mouthed and surprised. "You…you mean…_you're _God?" she paled. She had just been personally picked up and escorted by god, and, she paled further, she had just questioned his righteousness.

He smiled amusedly up at her. "Of course." He answered, then looked at the doors behind her and softly said, "Look behind you Rosetta."

Rosetta slowly turned to watch the doors behind her just as everyone else was.

The double doors opened slowly to show another saintly character standing in front of someone else. As he stepped away Rosette thought she was hallucinating as she saw a crown of dark lavender hair frame a dark toned face with brilliant crimson colored eyes. Rosette stood abruptly from the seat she had just taken, "chro…no?" she whispered as tears filled her aqua colored eyes and spilled over, before she could stop herself she was running across the great hall towards him hoping and praying that she wasn't hallucinating, that he was really here, with her.

Chrono looked at the saintly guide who had brought him here. It was his judgment day; he knew he was probably going to go to hell. With all the things that he'd done he would definitely be going to hell, he just hoped Rosette wasn't there.

His guide slowly opened the giant white double doors revealing a white hall with a table on the other side of the room.

As the guide stepped away he saw a pair of unbelieving ocean blue eyes look at him then stand up, tears now spilling freely down her face as she rushed towards him.

He opened his arms to embrace her and was reminded of their last moments on earth together; how he had found the church, how tears started streaming down her face as she looked at him, then her rushing towards him like now, how he had opened his arm just like now to hug her, to hold her as she breathed her last breath, then lay cold in his arms as he shuddered with tears streaming down his face as he waited to join her.

But she was here now and in his arms again, if he could he would never let her go again; when she'd died in that church leaving him alone for the hours that had separated their deaths' he felt he had truly just understood how much he loved her and if he ever saw her again there was NO WAY he would let her go again.

God smiled fondly at the girl and demon before him, he had never seen a pair like this love each other so deeply. Especially a demon, which made his decision seem more so like the right one to him.

Prologue part 2: The sentence:

Chrono and Rosette were now seated properly at the table across from god. Rosette holding tightly onto Chrono's hand, whatever the sentence was she knew she could take it, she had Chrono right here and that was all she needed right now.

God spoke, "Chrono, Rosette, I know of your past. How you, Chrono," he regarded chrono and chrono stiffened, "slayed a hundred million of your brethren. Then how you fell in love with the saint Mary Magdalene and betrayed your brother, ending with you hornless and 'asleep' in Mary's crypt. Where Rosette and the apostle of hope, Joshua I believe, found you. After which Aion returned with your horns and kidnapped the apostle Joshua. Leading to you two making a contract, and joining the order, am I correct?"

They both nodded dubiously.

He smiled warmly then continued, "Well then judging from your actions," they both blushed as he continued quite amused now, "I think I have made the right decision. Your sentence…" chrono and rosette awaited eagerly for him to finish. "…your sentence is…a second chance." he finished looking at the two before him, saying they looked shocked was quite an understatement.

"Wh…what?" rosette asked finally

"Well there is a reason if you'd like to hear, and a kind of hitch." He continued watching their reactions carefully. "Of course" they urged him on.

"The reason I choose this, and believe me this is not done often, hardly at all actually, is because chrono, as much as you have sinned you have also done almost the equivalent of that with your good deeds, and unselfish thoughts of others. And rosette even though you had made a pact with a demon, you did it for a noble cause, and you never used his powers against the world, rather you used that pact for the greater good of the souls on earth. Even though you did all that, both of you, that still doesn't change the fact that you have made some unforgiveable sins. Which leads to where we are today, when I heard of all the good things you two have done and all the bad things too, and I found that you, chrono, had betrayed and killed your own brother for two humans, I figured you could have a chance at redemption. All the sins of your life as the sinner chrono, the ignoble one, the betrayer, will be forgotten and you will be judged on your 2nd life and how you lead it. Same goes for you too, rosette."

"a sec…second chance…" chrono whispered softly to himself

"yes, it's YOUR second chances, but second chances only come once," God warned them, "and you haven't heard all of it yet. There are slight hitches,"

"what are they? We _will_ still be together, right? Me and chrono?" the words rushed out of rosette's mouth before she could stop herself.

"well…that's one of the hitches, you two will have two chances to meet in this next life but what you do when you meet is quite up to you, if you don't realize who each other are then you will have missed both your second chances of meeting. The other hitch is how you will look, rosette, you being a human soul, you will have some minor changes to your earthly body, such as hair color, eye color and such. Chrono on the other hand will have not changed so much, him being a demon and all, he will change though; he will look more like he does in his human guise, without the pointed ears, and slitted eyes most likely. But other minor things like his hair color and eye colors will not change. Also because you two have fought so hard to find the apostle Joshua he will be reborn as your brother again, to make up for all the time you two have lost together. And as for Azmaria she will also be reborn with you as someone related to chrono. You two will have to wait a while longer but their time is almost up, and they'll be here soon. Then I will explain some of this to them, they can choose to either stay here or go with you, and when they have chosen what they want to do we'll send you on your way back to earth. Oh, and when you are reborn a hundred years or so would have passed on earth."

Rosette and Chrono sat unwilling to believe what they had just heard finally, "Are you for real?" rosette asked the, "What would have been your other sentence for us?"

God smiled patiently to the girl and answered, "of course, I wouldn't lie about this. And your other choice would have been to burn in eternal hell, but that didn't sound fair as you two have done so much in my name. it would only be fair if I gave you a second chance to prove who you are, before making the final sentence"

"Now rosette, would you take chrono and kindly show him to the waiting room you were in, you are to stay there too of course."

Rosette obeyed the order and chrono followed. As they left chrono turned around and looked at God, "Thank you for this." He whispered

Again God smiled and waved for them to leave.

……

They were back in the waiting room. Rosette sat across from chrono watching him as he slept she was afraid all of this had been a dream, that if she looked away from him for even one second he would simply vanish into thin air leaving her behind. She moved to sit on the floor next to him and closed her eyes as sleep once again claimed her.

Chrono opened his eyes slightly. There was a light weight on his lap but he didn't notice, he had just had the most wonderful dream and rosette was in it, they were both given second chances, she wasn't going to hell and he wasn't either, yet. How he wished it had all been real, then rosette would be in his arms again, and this time he would never let go. His hand was unconsciously patting something and he finally noticed there was something or rather someONE in his lap. He looked down, oh god; it hadn't all been a dream. Rosette was here with him. And she asleep with her head on his lap as she kneeled on the floor. They were really given second chances he realized as tears started to overfill his eyes and fall.

**PLINK**

A drop landed on rosette's cheek. Groggily she wiped at the wet stain on her cheek as another fell upon her; she looked up to see her demon, her chrono crying. She slowly sat up and moved her fingers to dry his tears.

He looked down at the fingers wiping away his tears, caressing his cheek. He followed the fingers to the arm and then to her face, she was smiling with tears down her face too. "Rosette." He whispered her name softly, afraid that if he talked any louder she would disappear on him again. She nodded. "You're here, you're really here." He whispered again. Tears again began to cascade down his face like the Niagara Falls as he pulled her in for an embrace.

Yes, she was here and so was he, they were together again and waiting for Joshua and Azmaria. She hadn't had the chance to tell him how much she loved him when they were in the church, now she could, and she did, "chrono…I love you" she whispered over and over again into his ears as he pulled her in for an embrace and tears continued down his face until she was sure he had heard her.

"I…I love you too" he whispered back his voice breaking, "I…didn't understand how…much I loved you…until you were…gone…and I realized…I hadn't told…you…and you might've…never known." Fresh tears filled his eyes as he thought back.

"I was so…afraid…I would never get to tell you that I loved you, too." Rosette whispered back, face now in front of his own, wiping away the fresh tears, caressing his cheek, and rubbing his ears in an attempt to calm him down and stop his tears. She had never seen her demon companion cry, and now she didn't doubt he was crying harder then he had ever since Magdalene. She tilted his head up just a bit, he was in his full demon form with his wings folded behind his back, vertebrae like tail tucked between them.

Chrono looked up as Rosette tilted his head up, finally noticing their close proximity. Watery ruby colored eyes widened as ocean blue ones closed and pulled him in for a soft, chaste kiss then pulled away.

That had stopped his tears, for the time being anyway. Rosette thought to herself smiling.

**KNOCK**

**KNOCK**

**KNOCK**

Rosette jumped at the sudden noise; "come in" she called pulling herself up to sit next to chrono still embracing him.

A young angelic character with folded white wings stepped into the room. "They're here. God sent me to get you, I trust your stay here was pleasant?" she asked looking at the demon who was being held in the nuns' arms protectively. An odd couple indeed thought the little angel to herself.

"yes, thank you" answered the blonde girl standing up and pulling the demon up with her.

"let's go then. Your brother will be happy to see you, so will the other apostle." She stated simply, leading them out of the room.

They were in front of the hall again, except this time the doors were open and they could see two figures just sitting down at the table.

They walked in, as they saw god whisper something to the two figures, who immediately turned around, jump up turning their chairs over and started running towards them, the blonde boy shouting, "Rosette, Chrono " simultaneously with the silver-pink haired girl just behind him.

Rosette couldn't stop the tears as they started rolling down her face again, honestly she didn't expect to cry this much after she died. Today she probably cried more then she did in her entire life put together, well not counting when she was a baby. She could feel chrono gently brushing away her tears as Joshua and Azmaria finally reached them. They were both instantly pulled into tight hugs by Joshua, and softer hugs by Azmaria.

"Did he tell you? You don't have to go with us if you don't want to." Rosette asked.

"What?! You think I wouldn't go with you?! Me and Azzy are coming with you no matter if you want us to or not, right Azzy?" Joshua stated, happily holding onto said girl's hand.

"Of course we are Rosette, don't even think otherwise." Azmaria mock pouted at rosette, sticking out her lower lip childishly. Chrono and Rosette laughed at the expression, it had seemed like so long since they'd seen Azmaria do that.

Joshua and Azmaria exchanged a knowing look, it had been so long since they'd heard either of the two friends in front of them laugh, it had been so long since they'd last SEEN them, it was wonderful to have them here in front of them, laughing, and smiling and not have it just be a memory of them doing such things.

……..

The angel that had brought them to the hall was now leading them away and towards a door she said would take them to be reborn again. Usually only angels walked through that door to be reborn.

So here were the facts of what was happening, rosette thought to herself:

1) she, chrono, Joshua, and Azmaria were going to be reborn again.

2) She and Joshua were going to be reborn as twins, while Azmaria and Chrono would be reborn as close cousins.

3) They would each get 2 chances to meet

4) They were all being reborn as normal humans (no special powers)

5) Their looks would change somewhat, but Chrono would still probably have purple hair and such.

6) Their second lives would be what they made it and they would be judged on it

7) They would unconsciously remember their past lives (meaning they would remember their past life through their dreams)

8) their second lives wouldn't be much longer then their first lives and they'd die in pretty much the same way they'd died before

9) Their ages would be different, Chrono two or three years older then Rosette and Joshua and Azzy one or two years younger then Rosette and Joshua. And…

10) They would all keep their names, meaning that their names wouldn't changed

Yep they were getting their second chances, and Chrono wouldn't be going to hell, but neither was she. She would make sure to remember Chrono so she could find him.

"Rosette?" Chrono whispered to her, they were close to the door now.

"yes?" she answered

"what if…what if I…forget…about you, or don't recognize you." He whispered softly, scared he would forget about her, then they would never be together again. And she only had a limited time if he forgot they would probably never see each other again.

"If you forget me," Rosette said softly back to him, "I'll still remember you. I _promise_ **I **won't forget, I'll look for you and I'll **make **you remember me, ok?" she finished smiling reassuringly at him.

"o.k." he said smiling back a little to show he trusted her promise. He wouldn't forget either not if she remembered him.

The little angel opened the door and gestured for Chrono to step through. He did, then was followed by Rosette and Joshua stepping through together, and Azmaria following shortly afterward with a thanks to the angel who had guided them here.

On earth in the span of about five years they were conceived and reborn.

…………………………..

_A/N ok that seemed pretty long. What do you think? Please review so I know if I should continue. And let me remind you, this is my first story, so be nice._


	2. Chapter 1: First Meeting

disclaimer: i don't own the original chrono crusade story

_A/N thanks to the people who reveiwed or put me on alert. I hope this won't be too disapointing. _

Chapter 1: First Meeting

**New York City **

**4:00 p.m. **

A girl of about 12 with long pale silver pink hued colored hair walked out of the building. She had just finished with her vocal lessons and decided to walk home instead of taking the limo, today was a nice day and plus, she wanted to go to the church of Magdalene to pray.

Her name was Azmaria Hendricks, daughter and possible heir to the established Hendricks hotels and casinos.

She heard a ruckus as she walked by one of the many allies of New York City and decided to take a peek at all the noise. Stumbling out from behind the dumpsters were five very drunken men maybe in their late 30s or early 40, they spotted her just as she turned around and decided it was time to leave.

"Hey! Yooou, girl! Stooop, I jus wanna taallk to you! Stooop!" one of the drunken men slurred out pointing a finger at her retreating form.

She started to run. She wasn't that stupid or naïve to stop for them, she knew what they probably wanted to do to her; she was more developed for her age but still held an innocent look.

She was close to the church now, maybe three or so more blocks, and the catholic school was even closer, maybe a block or so. Maybe she could hide there.

She ran; the Magdalene private catholic high school was coming up, maybe someone could help her get those stupid drunks off her tail.

As she was thinking this she didn't notice the blonde youth just walking out of the school gates and-

**SMACK!**

She ran right into the youth, stumbling quickly to her feet she grabbed the teen and pulled him along with her mumbling apologies and asking him to escort her to the church.

The poor young man didn't understand what was going on at all. Here was a girl with pale silvery-pink colored hair pulling him along and asking him to take her to the church a couple blocks away.

"Uh…miss what's going on? Why're we running?" he asked then looked back instantly realizing the situation. Oh crap, those guys must be chasing her. He thought as they approached the church, she doesn't know the new schedule. He realized as he had almost forgotten the new schedule.

"The…church has…already…closed. My name's…Joshua." He finally told between breaths, he started pulling her in a different direction. They were running down an ally.

"WHAT?! Then where're you taking me?" the horrified Azmaria asked the stranger, Joshua, who was pulling her along. He was wearing the Magdalene high school uniform under his gray hoodie she finally noticed, he had the hood pulled over his face with a baseball cap on underneath it concealing most of his face in shadows and covering his hair. She guessed he was probably blonde from his light colored eyebrows and his eyes were a brilliant blue like the sea and the sky, but she didn't have time to be swooning over this handsome guy.

"We're going to a friend's workplace, maybe they'll be able to help you while I distract those drunks." answered Joshua. They were in front of a coffee shop now. He pulled her in and asked if she had a cell phone on her. She did and pulled it out to show him.

"Good" he said relieved and took her hand tightly and pulled her through an 'employees only' door. Azmaria blushed.

He went to talk to someone across the room. Then he told her to wait and pulled the person, who she couldn't see clearly so didn't know if it was a boy or girl, through another door.

A few minuets passed he came back took off Azmaria's light coat, went back through the door and came back with his cap pulled tight to conceal his face, and took her hand as he pulled her back out the front door. He has soft hands, but hard at the same time, she noticed.

The drunks were maybe a block away, and were catching up fast, they now each had sticks raised ready to attack the guy who had just took the chick who they wanted. And wanted them, they thought in their drunken minds.

"oh crap, Joshy hurry!" the boy dragging Azmaria yelled back over his shoulder into the little shop, oddly the boy's voice seemed to have gotten higher.

Azmaria contemplated this while the boy dragged her through multiple allies, then oddly enough they were back at the church.

"You took us in a circle?" Azmaria asked quite confused.

"Wh-yeah, yeah I did. You got a cell right? Call someone to pick you up. Now!" the boy ordered

"Ok, ok." She replied quickly dialing the first person that came to mind.

"Hello?" she asked when the other person finally picked up.

"Mori, you got to help me. Come pick me up at-" She started before she was cut off by the boy next to her yelling.

"Crap.crap.CRAP._CRAP! _He couldn't shake them, plan B! c'mon!" he yelled pulling her along back into an ally way. "It's plan B, tell the person to come pick you up at New York square under the big TV thingy." he said quieter so only Azmaria could hear.

"Change of plans, pick me up at New York square under the big TV. bye" she quickly hung up and looked back.

The 5 drunken men were there, not giving up on chasing them, but there was another guy who was also back there in the same apparel as Joshua. And the five drunks were fighting him. Oddest of all, he seemed to be winning.

Azmaria quickly sped up seeing the scene behind her.

They were soon at New York square under the big TV. When they saw a sleek black car pull up and park in a parking lot beside the building the TV was on.

The drivers' side opened and a teen with sunglasses and a pulled up blue hoodie, stepped out of the car.

The teen with the same clothes as Joshua's came out from the ally they'd just exited, with her coat and threw Azmaria over his shoulders then ran towards the black car while the one that had brought her here hung back and fought off some of the drunks.

The teen that had just gotten out of the car stood shocked at the scene, two boys with the same apparel were running towards him with a just as surprised Azmaria over one of their shoulders while the other hung back a little ways fending off five seemingly very drunk men. He went to meet them midway but was asked to go help the other person.

He did. He grabbed the guy, who was fighting off the drunks, around the chest and was about to haul him to the car when he was stopped short by what he felt. This '_guy_' had two very distinct lumps on his chest. "WHAT THE HELL!" he yelled instantly letting go.

"C'mon!" the irritated voice of the 'guy' yelled at him as 'he' pulled them towards the car that the shocked teen had gotten out of.

The other two were already in the car when they got there, and the drunks had run off back into the ally not wanting to go through more trouble for the chick.

The owner of the car got in the drivers side as he growled out to Azmaria, "Would you mind telling me exactly what the HELL was going on out there?"

Azmaria of course explained to the very confused and irritated driver, "Well, ah…lets see. This," she said pointing to the 'boy' who he'd dragged out of the fight with the drunks, "this is Joshua and-"she didn't get to finish as the driver roared out, "Joshua? That's a fricken GIRL! What are you some kinda CROSS DRESSING freak?" he asked one hand on the wheel other hand pointing at the said 'cross dressing freak'.

"What?! You're NOT Joshua, who are you then?" asked a shocked Azmaria, she turned to look at the two 'boys' questioningly.

"Uh…_I'M _Joshua._THAT'S _Rosette, she's my twin and sister." one said clearing up quite a bit of what was going on, he added, "she works in that shop we stopped at. I told her to take you back to the church then I would distract the drunks, shake them off and meet you there. If that plan didn't work we would meet up at New York square and figure things out." He finished, handing Azmaria's coat back to her. She blushed as his hands brushed hers.

Rosette on the other hand was glaring daggers at a now very nervous driver saying slowly and so calmly it was nerve racking, "Who's the 'cross dressing freak'?"

"Uh, uh, um yeah so these two saved me from those drunks. And…uh…that's Chrono, my cousin. I'm Azmaria, nice to meet you." She said trying to calm the tension between said cousin and Rosette.

"uh,huh" Rosette said turning away from Chrono to look at Azmaria, "So can I call you Azzy?" she asked cheerfully as Chrono thought, is this girl bi-polar or what.

"Azzy? Sure, I've never had a nick name before." Azmaria grinned ear to ear.

"Friends?" Rosette asked the very happy girl

"Of course, friends!" the silver pink haired girl said smile growing wider if that was possible.

Rosette turned back towards Chrono, "Where are we going then?" she asked waiting for an answer.

"I should probably drop you two off, where do you live?" was his answer.

At the next ally she told him to stop and pulled a very shocked and confused Joshua out into the ally behind the very poor looking apartments. As the black car drove away Joshua finally voiced his confused thoughts, "Rosette why'd you tell him to drop us off HERE? We don't even LIVE near here, we live in the opposite direction."

"You idiot, don't you think I know that. But think of how they'd act if they knew who we are. It'd be, like, awkward. All those other kids who are our 'friends' are only our friends because of dad and what they could gain from the company in the future from being the heirs 'childhood friends'. They're not real. But those kids, Azzy and Chrono, they don't know who we are and they still want to be friends. And plus they seem nice, they could turn out to be _real _friends."

"oh." Joshua said dumbstruck. Well of course he knew the other kids weren't _really_ his friends but it had never occurred him that he would ever get any _real _friends other then Rosette. And here Rosette was saying those two could be potential real friends. Or more, he thought to himself smiling at the thought of cute girl he just saved.

They left; going half way across town was going to take a while.

…..

They'd just drop the two twins off and Chrono was too busy scolding her on how she should've been more careful and such to notice that the said twins were heading in the exact direction they'd just driven from. She didn't know what to think of this so decided to just not tell Chrono so as not to make the twins seem more suspicious, since they obviously didn't live near those poor looking apartments, and Joshua was probably trying to hide his uniform, plus they probably didn't want her to know who they were or they would've given last names. Well of course she hadn't given out hers' or Chronos' last name either.

But if Chrono heard all this he might turn around in his seat and tell her they were too suspicious and she shouldn't be friends with them. Of course they were acting a little suspicious but they were friendly and they'd also saved her, but he would still be suspicious of them, he honestly acted too much like an over protective brother sometimes, others probably thought he had a sister complex, but she knew he didn't, he just cared very much for her, ever since she was a baby and he was five, as long as could SHE remember he was always there.

When she was born she was very sickly and her parents always went out a lot, leaving her alone in the house with the maids, then one of those days Chronos' parents, her aunt and uncle, decided to leave him there to play with the baby, while they went to party with her mother and father, saying she was his new baby sister and he had to take care of her till they all got back. He took it very literally; he was serious even when he was five. He took care of her, and came back to take care of her over and over again until she was very nearly as healthy as the other babies her age. How he did this when he was so young she never really figured out but the maids and servants there told her this story, he never actually told her himself, she knew he was too modest to ever tell her that story. But whenever she brought it up he always blushed and said it was true, but that the maids exaggerated a little too much. She personally thought he was only down playing himself; all her memories of her childhood had him in them. And she looked up to him, he was her model of how an older brother should be, no, he wasn't just a model of an older brother to her he _was_ an older brother her.

Chrono turned around and looked at the thoughtful expression on his cousins' face and wondered what she was thinking about. She had grown up so much from the sickly child she once was. The sickly child he took every moment he could to take care of and comfort ever since his parents little lie that she was his new sister, of course she was like a sister to him though. And he still took care of her as such, she wasn't sickly anymore but she was still a bit frail. He knew she didn't like to admit it, but she was, and she wanted to be strong. He wished sometimes that she could see that she was already very strong, and didn't need to over exert herself so much.

They stopped. They were at the Hendricks house, Azmarias' house. She quietly got out, then before he could leave she turned around, "Thanks," she said, "thanks for picking me up and being such a nice older brother to me."

He smiled and replied, "You _know_ it was nothing. That's why I gave you a cell, so you could call if you got in trouble. And you also know that I would _always _be your brother. So there's nothing to thank me for." He finished, smiled, closed the window and drove in the direction were his house was.

Azmaria smiled; of course she knew she didn't need to thank him she just always did. He was the one that was always there helping her along when her life seemed too hard.

She walked to the door and unlocked it then went in closing the door behind her. All the while thinking about what a cute couple Chrono and Rosette would make and how cute Joshua was. She was definitely going back to the Magdalene private high school to look for them.

………………

_A/N O.K. thanks for reading again and please review, I still want at least 2 reviews. That's not alot to ask, is it. Anyway hope you liked it and heres a summury/prveiw of the next chapter: what happens AFTER they meet. stay tuned to find out. lol._


	3. Chapter 2: what happened afterward

_Disclaimer: i don't own Chrono Crusade_

_A/N: thanks for keeping with me. I made some changes to the prolugue, so if you want re-read it. thanks again.XD_

Chapter 2

**…………………….**

**New York**

**7:30 p.m.**

The fourteen year old girl walked through the front door, up the stairs and into her bedroom. The walk home was cold, she started coughing, she hoped she hadn't caught anything. A cold _now_ of all times would just be the absolute cherry on top of her perfect Sunday. Of course it was a good thing that Joshua had helped Azzy but she really should have called for a ride home like Joshy suggested, but if she had their father would have totally over-reacted and order her to go to the hospital for a check up and it wasn't like she didn't have enough of that, she thought as she took off the baggy hoodie and cap revealing ink black hair.

She started coughing again but harder and it felt like she couldn't breathe. That walk home _really _wasn't a good idea.

Joshua looked in his mirror at his reflection; he'd just changed out of his cap, hoodie and uniform and was now in a clean white tee shirt over his blue jeans. He had blonde hair even though he and Rosette were twins, it was kind of odd, but their mother was Japanese so it kind of made sense too. Other then that they looked just about absolutely alike, that was how she'd sneaked him out of the hospitals when they were younger, he thought back to then for a moment.

He walked out of his room. He should probably check on Rosette, the walk home was cold and… his thoughts stopped as he was about to knock on her door.

She was coughing hard, really hard. Joshua knocked on the door and called out to his sister, she answered with more hard coughing noises. He decided to just open the door and make sure she was o.k., but by the way she was coughing he doubted she was o.k. even if she said she was.

The sight of what was behind the door was horrifying to Joshua; Rosette was on her knees, doubled over against her dresser, she had her hand covering her mouth and was coughing harder then ever. Not only that, but red liquid was now dripping through her fingers to the floor; blood, that had to be blood. And Rosette was hacking it up through her fingers.

The blonde boy rushed to his twins' side, grabbed her arm and he half-dragged, half-walked Rosette across the hallway towards the bathroom.

When they were finally in the bathroom he had, had two maids inform their father what was happening, and Rosette had blood coming out harder every time she coughed so blood was now dripping out of her mouth and into the bathroom sink. The front of her white tee was now stained a seemingly unwashable red color from all the blood.

Rosette looked at her self one last time in the mirror before she was knocked into total unconsciousness. Her head dropped over the bathroom sink, blood still spewing out of her mouth, while two maids ordered to watch her cried out to her alarmed.

While in the office, on the first floor Joshua stood arguing with his father on his decision, unbeknownst to him that his beloved twin had passed out upstairs.

That was until a maid came rushing through the door seemingly talking gibberish, with a horrified look on her features.

"Excuse me?" Joshua asked trying to understand what was going on.

"Miss…mss. Rosette passed out in the bathroo-"

She was rudely stopped by the noise of Joshua rushing out the office door and pounding up the stairs to his sister.

"That's it. I've made my decision. Could you please call for the private jet," he ordered the maid in front of him, "I can't have this all over the news, for her safety and the company's' too."

"Of course sir." The maid answered, it wasn't her place to question him if she wanted to keep her job. But whatever his decision, Master Joshua probably wouldn't be happy to know his father had made a decision on his sister without her consent or his. But the maid would do what she was supposed to, happy master or not.

……………..In Rosettes' dream after she passed out………………………………….

_"I understand. I make a contract with you Rosette Christopher." the man in front of __her said_

_She looked him in the eyes, his eyes seemed so sad to be just saying those words. But she had to, she had to do it to save her little brother so they could grow up together and go exploring someday._

_"I except." She answered __quietly;__ she knew he could hear her though._

_The wind picked up around them and blew her gold locks __forward__. Wait; _**gold** _locks? Since when did she have blonde hair, her hair had always been black, black as ink, black as night. She thought, but then didn't care anymore she'd had this dream since she was twelve, not every night but, like, once or twice a month or so._

_Except this time the dream didn't stop there._

_She was older now, 14 maybe, she had on a navy blue uniform with the Magdalene logo. She had guns in her hand and they were pointed at some nasty looking demons. But she didn't worry; she had HER demon with her, not to mention her guns filled with gospels and such. Those demons were going down._

_She shot at a demon and didn't see that one of the demons had nicked Chrono, until she turned around and saw him stumble some distance away from the demon that had attacked with a gash across his coat._

_She shot at the attacking demon, and got him right in the forehead under his horn. Chrono stumbled back and fell against her. It was o.k. though, because they'd killed all the demons._

_He was unconscious; she dragged him to the car. He would be happy she didn't ruin so much property this time. But it wasn't like she TRIED to._

_She got in the jalopy and drove back towards the order, the place they now called home._

_Chrono was in the infirmary and she was in her room changing into a new uniform. When she was done she headed towards the infirmary._

_When she got there he was up, but looked pretty down._

_"Are you better now?" she asked, concern and relief that he was up naturally showing in her voice._

_"Yeah, but…" he trailed off. She didn't like that; she didn't like him doubting himself like this._

_"But, what?" she asked_

_"But," he started again, "you could've gotten more hurt because I passed out. I shouldn't have passed out."_

_"You couldn't help it. And the demons were already all dead plus we'd been out fighting demons the whole night. Plus you got hurt protecting me, the demon was lunging at ME but you just had to get in the way; so it's alright, o.k.?" she really hoped he would stop feeling like he was useless, he was so…she didn't know how to explain it right now but she hated that he even thought that lowly of himself. _

_"o.k." he answered, in a voice that really didn't reassure her that it was o.k._

_He sat up in the bed and swung his legs around to get up._

_She pushed him back down and moved his legs back onto the bed, then tucked the blanket in around a very confused Chrono. _

_"Wha…what are you-"_

_Before he could finish she answered him. "You need your rest. And," she whispered, "I don't like you getting hurt for me." _

_He looked away, "But I really could've done more, like-"_

_He was cut off again, "No, you couldn't have done more because there was nothing more to do." She finished on a note that allowed NO argument._

_He turned back around and nodded then closed his eyes and fell back into sleep._

_She watched as he slept. Then decided to lay her head down next to his and took his hand in hers and closed her eyes, before she knew it she had fallen asleep._

_But her voice whispered in the void of sleep to someone she couldn't see but knew who it was, "If you forget me, I'll still remember you. I promise **I **won't forget, I'll look for you and I'll **make **you remember me, ok?"_

_…………….end of dream sequence…………………………………………………………_

She woke groggily with tears in her eyes not knowing what had just happened, the last thing she remembered was standing in front of the bathroom sink, then the dream, the odd dream that felt so nostalgic; and the ending promise the promise to not forget, the promise to look for him.

Her dreams always had her with blonde hair, she didn't have blonde hair but he was always saying her name, so it had to be her, didn't it?

But this dream was different; the first part was the same, but the second part with her being older and wearing that uniform she'd never seen that part before.

She didn't know why she was crying, whenever she had one of those dreams she always woke up crying. It was just that the dream seemed so happy and yet sad at the same time. The best word to describe it would probably be bittersweet. Yes bittersweet was a good word to describe it.

"Nee-san? Are you up?" Joshua; Joshua had always had a way of calling her that when he was worried or scared.

"Yeah, where are we? This doesn't look like my room"

"Father made a decision without our consent; we're on a plane to the San Francisco branch of the hospital. I couldn't stop him but at least he let me come with you, Onii-chan." Joshua explained.

"But I **HATE** hospitals! And they don't even know what's wrong with me! Yeah, they know I've got something wrong with my heart or something but they don't even know how to fix it or treat it, so why on gods' green earth is he sending me to one of his stupid hospitals?!!" she exclaimed; she was thoroughly pissed off at her father for sending her to a hospital. He'd done this before, he'd done this when Joshua was younger and she only got him out of the god damned place just in time to save him from more guinea pig labs on him that could've turned the kid super traumatic.

She thought back to when she'd sneaked him out of that 'hospital'. She remembered the day she'd found out she was a twin. Her mother was arguing with her father to bring her brother home in his office and the door was cracked open and she just happened to be passing by. They'd kept this secret from her since she was born she realized.

"He said it was to make you better." Joshua broke into her thoughts, "He said this wouldn't be a repeat of what happened to me."

"I know" she cooled off some, she knew her father loved them dearly, he hadn't known what was happening to Joshua and believed them when they'd told him they were making Joshua better. After that he had decided to be the manager and sole owner of several large hospitals to make sure that if his children needed to go to the hospital, it wouldn't be a repeat of what happened to Joshua.

Their father now owned hospitals all over the world. And she was being sent to one of them.

"I know that. It's just…I HATE hospitals! I hate the smell, I hate that it's so damned clean, I hate that people look at me with pity, and I hate most of all that they have lost all hope of curing me!" she choked the last words out, holding back tears, determined to not let her little brother see her so weak as to cry.

"I know, I hate hospitals too. But the staff hasn't lost all hope of curing you. They know you're the boss' daughter and they'll try their hardest to find a cure. It's o.k. Nee-san." Joshua tried hard to sound reassuring, though he knew he probably wasn't doing any good, he had to try. He could see Rosette holding back tears for him, trying to be his strong big sister.

Rosette decided to sleep to hold back the tears. She closed her eyes and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

……………..

_"I understand. I make a contract with you Rosette Christopher." He said to the girl in front of him. He felt guilty, so guilty that he wanted to take back those words. But it was too late._

_"I except." She answered so quietly that a normal man wouldn't be able to hear but he could her, he wasn't a normal man, he wasn't even a man. He was a demon._

_The wind from the twister behind them blew her sunshine gold hair gently in front of her face. _

_He made a move to push the hair out of her face but blinked and when he looked again she was older and he was wearing a red coat. She wore a navy blue habit like uniform and was holding up two guns pointed at the demons in front of them. She shot them but didn't notice the third demon coming around to attack from behind._

_He dove behind her as the demon was about to slash her across the back, but instead got him across the chest. He stumbled back a little, Rosette turned around and shot at the demon that had attacked him. She got the demon right in the forehead underneath the horn._

_He stumbled back more and bumped into her then fell, he was tired, so tired. He didn't have much energy and fell into unconsciousness against her._

_The next time he came to he was alone in the infirmary, he felt guilty again, not that he didn't feel guilty everyday, but now he felt guilty that he'd fell unconscious. What if she had gotten hurt while he was unconscious._

_Just as he was thinking this she walked through the infirmary door in a fresh uniform._

_"Are you better now?" she asked, he could hear the concern and relief in her words._

_"Yeah, but…" but he could've done more he shouldn't have passed out, he trailed off._

_"But, what?" she asked _

_"But you could've gotten more hurt because I passed out. I shouldn't have passed out." He said glumly, eyes downcast._

_"You couldn't help it. And the demons were already all dead plus we'd been out fighting demons the whole night. Plus you got hurt protecting me, the demon was lunging at ME but you just had to get in the way; so it's alright, o.k.?" she asked him._

_"o.k." he said not wanting to argue with her that it wasn't o.k._

_He sat up and swung his leg over the edge of the bed. He was going to get up but before he could Rosette put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him back into the bed, then she put his legs back onto the bed and tucked the blankets in around his confused face._

_"Wha…what are you-"_

_Before he finished his question she answered him, "You need your rest. And," she whispered to him, "I don't like you getting hurt for me."_

_He looked in the opposite direction, "but I really could have done more, like-"_

_He was sharply cut off by Rosette, "No, you couldn't have done more because there was nothing more to do." She finished on a note that allowed NO room for argument._

_He turned back to face her, then closed his eyes and fell into sleep. But he could feel as Rosette took his hand in hers and laid her head next to his. He was comforted by her presence._

_He fell back into sleep and heard a voice calling out to him that sounded like a dream, "If you forget me, I'll still remember you. I promise **I **won't forget, I'll look for you and I'll **make **you remember me, ok?"_

_………………_

"o.k." he mumbled, then slowly opened his eyes searching for the source of the comforting voice but found he was only in his room.

What the heck was that, he thought, it felt so nostalgic, almost like a memory. And the voice, the voice promising to not forget and to look for him, the voice sounded so, so trustworthy. But then what was he forgetting, WHO was he forgetting?

But it was just a dream, a dream and nothing more. He'd had this dream since he could remember. Still it was only a dream.

Ho got up and decided to take a shower. After the fiasco with Azmaria and the twins he'd come home then fell asleep.

It was about 6:30 p.m. when he'd fallen asleep; now it was 1:30 a.m. he had to get up at seven in morning to go to school and now he couldn't sleep. This was just great. What was he supposed to this late at night, or early in the morning however you looked at it.

Well there ought to be something to do; this was the city that never sleeps. But he was underage for drinking, and he didn't have friends because of his 'differences'.

Meaning he didn't have friends because of his looks which included, dark colored hair, so dark in fact that it appeared purple, and eyes that were so brown they looked blood red when he was out in the sun, his skin wasn't so bad though, it was colored like a sun tan except it was natural and he had it all year long. Some kids thought he went to those stupid tanning salons, but he didn't. Who was stupid enough to purposely burn themselves like that? He wasn't.

He thought back to the night before when those twins had saved Azmaria. He thought of how he'd grabbed the girl around the chest, not knowing she was a girl, and blushed deep red. He hoped he never saw them again, it would be too embarrassing, for him anyway.

He moved to put on some jeans and a hoodie. He thought of what the voice had said to him. Who was he forgetting? And where had he heard that voice before? He pondered this while buttoning his jeans and reaching for his hat and sunglasses.

He put those on and went to open the window. He checked his pockets for his keys, they were there.

He grabbed his wallet. And crawled out through the window, stepping carefully over the roof and agilely jumping down onto the waiting pavement below.

He swiftly ran towards the gate that circled the perimeter of the estate. There was good reason he parked outside of the gates, after all.

He pulled himself up and over the gate, landing softly on his feet, he again began to run towards were he parked the car.

When he was safely in the car and away from the estate he drove away from the city. He never liked the city much anyway.

He'd been cruising around for maybe a half an hour or so when he decided on where to go. Chrono drove up to a gas-station, went inside and bought a few snacks, then got back in his car and drove to his knew destination.

He parked on the gravel road and got out.

He walked out slowly enjoying this time alone, and in nature.

He abruptly stopped; he was at the lake.

He loved it here. It was always so peaceful and somehow…nostalgic.

He sat down on the waters' edge, making sure not to get wet. And just thought, thought about everything.

His mind wandered back to the voice and its promise. Who ever it was, had loved him, he could tell by the softness of the words. Again he wondered who had promised him that anyway. It wasn't the first time he'd wondered who it was, but it was just a dream.

A dream that kept repeating. A dream he knew the end to. It was a sad ending, very sad, but happy too. The only word he could conjure up was bittersweet.

He thought of all the dreams he'd had for as long as he could remember, put together they told a beautiful and sad story. These dreams always involved him and a girl named Rosette, and her brother, who was an apostle(?), it also had Azmaria as an apostle, and another girl with long red hair, she was germen and her name was…he couldn't remember well, Sarah? Stella? Maybe it was Satella, yeah that was probably it, her and her sister Fiore. Then his half brother was always in them too, Ian, except they always called him Aion.

Aion, he wondered, Aion was a demon too. He was the one that had taken Joshua and that led to him making a contract with Rosette, shortening her life. This story always ended with her dying in his arms in a church, and he always died soon after.

No matter how many times he dreamed this though, he could never see her face clearly. What he found most odd now was how similar all the names were to the names he knew, first there was the twins that he'd met, Rosette and Joshua, then in the dreams Rosette had called Azmaria Azzy too. There was also his name and the Aion, Ian similarities.

Whatever, it's just a dream, he thought not wanting to dig any deeper into the similarities of names and such.

Ian was a doctor now, he was a doctor at some hospital in San Francisco. Ian didn't have to become a doctor but he wanted freedom from being the possible heir to the company, and left that job to Chrono.

Of course he didn't want to do this, taking special lessons in business ed. and such but what could he do about it, there were no other children to take his place, and even if there was he wouldn't force this onto them like Ian did to him.

He felt bad for Azmaria, she was also a candidate to become heir to the company, she really just wanted to be a singer and she was good at it.

He already had in mind what he wanted to be too, he'd wanted to be a writer, to write down the dreams he had each night so maybe he could forget them.

Yes, he'd wanted to write and he wasn't so bad at it either. He thought before drifting off to sleep next to the lake the sounds of water lapping against the shore soothing him further into sleep, as the sky around him was tinged pink and purple.

……………………………..

She was gently shaken awake. They'd arrived in San Francisco and she was now going to be taken to the hospital room where she was going to be staying.

Joshua followed her into the awaiting limo.

When the limo started Rosette glanced at Joshua before straightening up and asking quietly so he'd be the only one able to hear.

"Joshua, how much do you got on you?"

"What are you talking about?" he questioned back just as quietly.

"I mean, how much cash do you have right now?"

He looked bewildered for a moment before he searched in his pocket and took out five one hundred dollar bills. She didn't turn to look, just gave her his hand pal side up as if expecting something. Joshua gave her the money.

She closed her hand around the cash then looked out the window. She tugged at his hand, he opened it palm up like hers was, she dropped her cell phone into his palm. Then looked out quickly and turned back to him.

He was confused, what was she planning? What was she doing? She didn't plan on jumping out of a moving car, did she?

She tugged on the doors lock, turned back to Joshua and gave him a reassuring and sad smile before saying quickly, "I'll pay you back."

Then opened the door and rolled out then, when she was able to get on her feet she started running.

He was too stunned by what had just happened to do anything, but when he was over his shock he shouted her name multiple times. By this time the driver of the limo had stopped the car and was panicking saying, "Call the police. Call the police!"

He instead jumped out of the car and ran in the direction he saw Rosette running towards. He knew it probably wouldn't do any good but he started shouting, "Nee-san! Nee-san wait for me!" he felt like a little kid running after his big sister again. Not that Rosette was that much older then him, maybe by a few minuets of so.

Rosette hit the ground running. She going to run into another ally when she herd Joshua pounding after her shouting for her to wait, she smiled, it was just like him to follow her. But what should she do, it broke her heart to leave him behind, but it wasn't going to be easy living on the run, even for a little while.

She decided to wait for him. Joshua wouldn't forgive her if she left him behind, and it would probably be easier with him then without him. She backtracked a little ways hiding behind a dumpster waiting for her little brother.

Joshua jogged up next to a dumpster and tried calling for his sister again, but was stopped abruptly when he was pulled behind the dumpster. He struggled against his captor but was stopped short when he heard a familiar whisper shushing him.

"Neesan?" he asked hesitantly through her hands. He felt her nod against his back, and couldn't stop the tears of relief that fell from his eyes.

"You…you waited for me?" he asked, again she nodded.

There were now voices in front of the dumpster, probably the driver and co. so Rosette gently tugged her little brother through the ally behind the dumpster, he followed obediently.

Rosette could still feel Joshua's tears on her fingers, as she pulled him through the early morning street. She felt bad that she'd almost left him behind.

"Listen Joshy," she began, he perked up when he heard his name being called.

"Yeah?" he asked

"Sorry I did that. But I thought it would be better if you went home and stayed safe." She finished

"Do you still think I should go home?" he asked nervous that his sister would try to run again. He gripped her hand tightly.

She felt his grip on her hand tighten, she tried to pull loose again but he'd stopped and was pulling her to sit on a bench. She obliged.

"Are you trying to run away just because you don't want to go to the hospital? Or is there something else?" he asked the last part hesitantly.

She looked away, she knew she couldn't tell him why, but she couldn't lie to his face either, so she just looked away and said in her most convincing voice, "I'm just a coward aren't I? Running away just because I don't want to go to the hospital."

He could hear the deceive in her voice. She was lying to him, she never lied to him not even when their mother had died and he asked her why mommy wouldn't wake up. She'd told him in a voice enveloped in sadness and grief but still patient, that mommy wouldn't ever wake up again, that she was dead now and she was going to heaven.

He'd cried when she said that. He cried now, because he was forcing her to be strong for him. He had always been the weak one out of the two, even when she'd gotten sick, she'd always acted so strong. And now she was shielding him from the truth, whatever it was.

Rosette looked at her little brother, he was crying, he knew she was lying, she thought.

"What is it really?" voice not breaking, Joshua asked his sister.

"You should go home." She said trying to redirect the conversation.

"I'm NOT going home." He answered defiantly.

She smiled mischievously looking at him. "Yes you are." She pulled the phone he'd been holding since she handed it to him in the car from his hands, waving it in front of his face.

His eyes grew larger then dinner plates as he watched her wave the phone in front of his face finally realizing what it was.

"NO! No, I want to go with you!"He said standing up grabbing for the phone she'd just flipped open, not noticing that he'd lost hold of her hand.

She gave him the phone and walked speedily away, while Joshua looked into the screen of the cell phone to see if she'd dialed somewhere. He found a message:

**They won't find a cure.**

**I asked the doctors they said I'd be lucky to live past 18.**

**If I only got till then I'm not staying in a**

**hospital.**

**I'll call you, don't worry.**

**Thanks!**

**Rosette Christopher **

Joshua looked up to see that Rosette was indeed gone. He'd fallen for her tricks again. He tried calling for her again. This time she didn't wait.

But she'd told him why she was running, he'd her as much as he could, he was even going to try to persuade her to keep going to school. Though he doubted she would listen. He'd help her this way then, he thought as he wiped the remnants of his tears away, he would be strong, strong enough that she didn't need to protect him anymore. He sat down to call for a ride.

Rosette watched as Joshua read the note on the cell phone, call out for her again, then sit down and dialed the phone, determination showing on his face.

Minuets later the limo pulled up, out of the limo hopped a relieved looking limo driver. Joshua moved to get in the car but stopped before closing the door and got back up and scanned the park then shouted, "STAY SAFE ROSETTE!!!" after that he got back into the car which drove away soon after.

Rosette got out of her hiding place and stared after the car. She smiled, she knew Joshua would understand. She walked away.

……………………………………..

_A/N: I hope this didn't disapoint you too much! I know it focuses more on what happens to Joshua and Rosette but...yeah, keep reading. I'm also not sure if it's nee-san for older sister, or onii-chan so forgive me on that. And the lest I request is that you leave a review if you could. (still 2 minmum to continue this story.) bye! _


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